製造商: Rolex 年份: Circa 1965 型號: 6238 錶殼號碼: 1’226’564 型號名稱: "Black Pre-Daytona" 材料: Stainless steel 機芯: Manual, cal. 722-1, 17 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Leather 錶扣: Stainless steel Rolex pin buckle 尺寸: 36mm diameter 簽名: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed 文學: Similar examples of this reference are illustrated in I Cronografi Rolex La Leggenda, Pucci Papaleo Editore, pp. 278-291, as well as 100 Superlative Rolex Watches, John Goldberger, pp. 128-137.
圖錄文章
The Rolex ref. 6238 chronograph stands as a pivotal timepiece in the company's history, bridging the classic chronograph models preceding the 1960s and the Cosmograph Daytona that would follow.
Directly descended from the 1930s ref. 3525, Rolex's inaugural Oyster-cased screw-down crown chronograph, the ref. 6238 retains the timeless monochrome dials and outer tachymeter scales of its eminent forebears. Yet it also pioneers several key design elements later embodied in the now iconic Daytona, including the oversized winding crown, prominent chronograph pushers, sturdy Oyster case, and simple baton indices. Thus, collectors have fittingly bestowed upon the groundbreaking ref. 6238 the nickname "Pre-Daytona."
With its sleek, modernist "grené" finished matte black dial—a mesmerizing rarity, as stately silver dials were the norm for this reference—the present ref. 6238 seduces the eye with its decidedly dashing mid-20th century aesthetic. The galvanic signature and minimalist scales on the dial mark this as a second-generation grené execution, while the subtle "T-SWISS-T" inscription at 6 o'clock signals the use of luminescent Tritium in the handsome hands and hour markers.
As the sporty Daytona references 6263 and 6265 have risen to grail status and utmost collectability in recent decades, so too does the exceptionally scarce ref. 6238 in exemplary condition prove a must-have prize for the savvy collector of important vintage Rolex chronographs. This watch's historical significance and visual magnificence unite to make the ref. 6238 one of the most coveted chronographs ever produced by the storied House of Rolex.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.
